Badge and Name plate

rzeller · Post by **rzeller** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 10:56 pm

Mel, thank you for posting this technique. I have been exploring this option with a jewelry maker in our VW club. He has a foundry caster that he uses, but it is very expensive. I think I can do what you describe, I just don't know where to get the supplies. So to my US friends, I have no clue where to get the materials Mel mentions like liquid silicone, the metal powder, the casting resin, etc. If someone(s) would be kind enough to point me in the right direction I'll give this a try (and post pictures/results). Thanks again for the share. Bud

tim morgan · Post by **tim morgan** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 11:13 pm

http://www.alumilite.comcheck this site out

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 11:43 pm

Guys, you should be able to buy these products form any good fiberglass suppliers,,,, just tell them your looking to do craft making and casting. There are various types of molding materials like latex, vinamold, alginate etc,, but trust me guys RTV Silicone is by far the best product I know of,, its not the cheapest, but if your looking to make molds for small parts you won't need much of it.. I'm sure the sales guy in the GRP shop will be helpful and help you pick the right products... There are also various types of casting resin including water clear casting resin, the kinda stuff you'd use to cast a gear knob with a spider inside.. One last thing I forgot, if your making a badge and would rather have fixing lugs instead of bonding the badge in place,, these lugs can be put into the mold once its been poured and before it sets... Something like small bolts, or if its really small the heads could be cut off very small bolts and sunk into the casting resin. The best way to do this is to make some kind of framework up so as to suspend above the mold and hold the lugs in place whilst the resin cures,, nuts can then be used on the underside to hold the badge in place once fitted to the vehicle..

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 12:10 am

[QUOTE="tim morgan;16039"]http://www.alumilite.comcheck this site out[/QUOTE] That looks just the place Tim.... Hey,, whist I was looking at that link, something come to mind which made me laugh,,, so thought I'd share it with you guys..... > Years ago a guy I worked with cast up a load of ?1 coins,, he had a big sack full of the things.. He went into a shop one day with his buddy and handed over these cold casted coins for the goods he bought,,,, one of his good buddies who was behind him in the check out queue then payed for his goods with a ?20 note,, and the cashier gave him his change all in ?1 coins,, the same fake coins that his buddy had just handed the cashier... LOL!!.. So just remember,,, crime does not pay,, it pays back!!

tim morgan · Post by **tim morgan** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 12:33 am

So to make the front badge you would use a 2 piece mold?,,,I like that story,,That would be my luck LOL

rzeller · Post by **rzeller** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 1:04 am

Tim, thank you for the link (and thank you for not slapping me for not spending countless minutes/hours to find it on my own). I'm going to listen/watch the information on the site. I have been wanting to do something like this for a very long time. Thanks.

tim morgan · Post by **tim morgan** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 1:16 am

[QUOTE="madmanx;16044"]Tim, thank you for the link (and thank you for not slapping me for not spending countless minutes/hours to find it on my own). I'm going to listen/watch the information on the site. I have been wanting to do something like this for a very long time. Thanks.[/QUOTE] Was actually about 10.2 seconds LOL,,Looks like some cool stuff,,,I am going to order a small kit and give it a try.

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 1:50 am

[QUOTE="tim morgan;16043"]So to make the front badge you would use a 2 piece mold?,,,I like that story,,That would be my luck LOL[/QUOTE] If your casting an SR badge its just flat at the bottom so you would pour the silicone over it in the same way..... The later badge is angled, and hollow to go over the raised hump in the hood, so you would need to shape the clay or plasticine under the badge so as when you pour the silicone over it,,, it won't seep under the badge... Then, when you cast the badge with resin, you could either grind the underside of the badge so it goes over the hood hump or maybe do a two part thing... A good way to cast the larger hood badge would be to do it whilst its fitted onto the hood,, just shutter around it before pouring the silicone,, you could even do a fiberglass and silicone 2 part mold and pour the casting resin through a drilled hole in the fiberglass side of the mold,, you would need some kind of locating lugs on both parts of the mold so as the badge would sit dead square on the hood.. TBH I've never cast a hood badge, so its all just guess work really, but once you start, you may find a better and easier way.. Its a little late for me now and the old head can't seem to find the right gear!!

tim morgan · Post by **tim morgan** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 1:55 am

Good Night Mel,,Thanks

manxdavid · Post by **manxdavid** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 10:43 am

I've posted this before, it's a Manx 2 (I think) fitted with a Manx SR hood badge. I'd love one of these for mine but have missed out on or have not been able to afford ones that have come up for grabs. I also recon a Manxter/Kick Out badge would fit and look really good but Winnie wouldn't sell me one.

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 3:00 pm

I'm sure Most, if not all the guys looking to buy Manx badges are genuine people who support Bruce & Winnie and like the Meyers Manx products... I can see Winnies point, but in another way, I think by making an item difficult to obtain will only fuel the rip off guys who sell big bucks, hard to obtain fake products on ebay at OTT prices.. My post about how to cast stuff, may have pissed a few folk off,, but I'd sooner help the guys on here than see them fill the pockets of those rip off ebay gannets.. I bought a buggy years ago that had a Bentley badge on the hood,, god knows what the guy must have been thinking, but it happens,,, the most important thing with an authentic Meyers product, I'd say is a listing in the register..